My name is Matthew and I'm a first-year undergraduate Computer Science student at Royal Holloway, University of London. I enjoy creating projects and seeing them come to life.
Beyond coding, I have a strong interest in languages and cross-cultural collaboration. I've studied French, German, and Latin – achieving an A* in Latin Language GCSE – and have participated in UK-Japan collaborative programmes that have broadened my perspective on teamwork and communication.
Societies & Clubs
At Royal Holloway, I'm an active member of several societies that reflect my interests:
CompSoc Society – Connecting with fellow computer science enthusiasts
CyberSecurity Society – Exploring security concepts and challenges
Chess Club – Developing strategic thinking skills
Table Tennis Society – Staying active and competitive
My Journey
I started learning to code in Python in March of 2021 and completed solving several Python challenges. What started as curiosity quickly became a passion. I loved the satisfaction of solving problems and building something from nothing.
I have since then been learning to code on my own in various languages. My favourite language is currently TypeScript due to its type safety allowing me to maintain my code easily. I've explored everything from building chess variants to cybersecurity awareness tools, each project teaching me something new about software development.
Along the way, I've also gained valuable work experience through virtual programmes with companies like Amazon and BCG, as well as hands-on internship experience at an accountancy firm where I first discovered the power of automation and data-driven workflows.
Challenges I've Overcome
One of my early challenges was debugging a complex state management issue in my first React multiplayer game. The game state wasn't syncing correctly between players, and I spent days tracing through the logic. This experience taught me the importance of systematic debugging, reading documentation carefully, and breaking problems down into smaller, testable pieces.
Another challenge was learning to balance academic commitments with personal projects. I've developed strong time management skills and learned to prioritise effectively — ensuring I can continue building projects I'm passionate about while maintaining my studies.
Inspirations
I'm particularly drawn to web development and cybersecurity. Building interactive, user-friendly applications gives me a creative outlet, while cybersecurity challenges me to think critically about how systems can be protected. My virtual work experiences with Amazon and Heathrow IT have deepened my interest in security infrastructure and threat detection.
I'm also fascinated by the intersection of technology and real-world impact. Projects like my water quality monitoring platform for Hack4Humanity showed me how software can be used to address genuine community needs and make a positive difference.
Future Goals
I'm actively seeking software engineering internships where I can apply my skills in real-world projects, learn from experienced developers, and contribute to meaningful products. I'm particularly interested in roles involving full-stack development, cybersecurity, or developer tooling.
Long-term, I aspire to work on products that have a tangible impact on users' lives. Whether that's building secure systems that protect people's data or creating tools that make developers more productive, I want my work to matter. I'm excited to discover first-hand how the software industry operates and to grow as a developer through hands-on experience.